invalid interpolation format for %s: %#v; you may need to es

Error message

invalid interpolation format for %s: %#v; you may need to escape any $ with another $

What it means

Error "invalid interpolation format for %s: %#v; you may need to escape any $ with another $" thrown in docker/cli.

Source

Thrown at cli/compose/interpolation/interpolation.go:107

			interpolatedElem, err := recursiveInterpolate(elem, path.Next(PathMatchList), opts)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, err
			}
			out[i] = interpolatedElem
		}
		return out, nil

	default:
		return value, nil
	}
}

func newPathError(path Path, err error) error {
	switch err := err.(type) {
	case nil:
		return nil
	case *template.InvalidTemplateError:
		return fmt.Errorf(
			"invalid interpolation format for %s: %#v; you may need to escape any $ with another $",
			path, err.Template)
	default:
		return fmt.Errorf("error while interpolating %s: %w", path, err)
	}
}

const pathSeparator = "."

// PathMatchAll is a token used as part of a Path to match any key at that level
// in the nested structure
const PathMatchAll = "*"

// PathMatchList is a token used as part of a Path to match items in a list
const PathMatchList = "[]"

// Path is a dotted path of keys to a value in a nested mapping structure. A *
// section in a path will match any key in the mapping structure.

View on GitHub (pinned to e9452d6e78)

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at cli/compose/interpolation/interpolation.go:107 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of docker/cli@e9452d6e78 (2026-08-01). Data as JSON: /data/errors/1c1b60468527e840.json. Report an issue: GitHub.